"CBI Makes Initial Arrests in Balasore Train Tragedy: Three Employees Held"

CBI makes 3 arrests in Balasore Train Tragedy

Three railway employees have been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the tragic Balasore train accident, which resulted in the loss of over 290 lives. This marks the first arrests made by the CBI in relation to the case.

The individuals taken into custody are Arun Kumar Mohanta, a Senior Section Engineer, Mohammad Amir Khan, a Section Engineer, and Pappu Kumar, a technician. They have been arrested under sections 304 and 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which pertain to the destruction of evidence and culpable homicide.

According to CBI spokesperson R.C. Joshi, the arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into the train mishap at Bahanagar Bazar Railway Station (BNBR) in Balasore, Odisha. The detained individuals include the former Senior Section Engineer (Signal) of Balasore, the former Senior Section Engineer (Signal) of Soro, and a technician from Balasore.

The arrested individuals will be presented before a special magistrate on Saturday, where the CBI will request their police custody. Subsequently, their custodial interrogation will commence. It is important for the CBI to file a charge sheet within 90 days to avoid the arrested personnel becoming eligible for default bail.

Investigations into the Balasore train tragedy have revealed that errors and negligence on the part of the Signal and Telecommunication department staff were responsible for the tragic rail accident on June 2. Commissioner of Railway Safety A.M. Chowdhary, from the South-Eastern zone, stated that multiple lapses in the S&T department contributed to the accident, including incorrect labeling of wires.